What if every subject that we think about can have explicit representations in our computers?

Monthly Archives: April 2014

I have been investigating Google Glass Mirror API and this investigation has generated some thoughts about Google Glass and Personal Intelligent Assistants that I would like to discuss.

I am quite enthusiastic about Google Glass, mostly because it creates a framework for context-aware real-time user centric services. I am very interested in the Mirror API service created and maintained by Google and capabilities for developers to deliver services based on the Glass platform.

The Mirror API allows developers to manipulate Glass timeline, react on changes in timeline and other events, it allows also controlled information sharing between apps/services. In principle, it is not that different from the App centric model that we have already with smartphones. We just do not need to check our smartphones from time to time, important information is always available. But with Glass, there is a big difference from my perspective: various services become integrated in one unified timeline with unified interface and user experience. Glass implements basic information and service integration – literally “on the glass” . I also consider Glass as a new generation of notification centre with information delivered proactively to Glass owners

How can we incorporate Intelligent Personal Assistants into this picture? Personal Assistant can be viewed as a specialized service with one of its interfaces being Glass-aware.

Intelligent Personal Assistant provides mediated communication between its owner and various service providers. It manages personal data/event clouds and provides integrated view on “things” and events important for its user. Personal Assistants will have multiple user interfaces including smart glasses, watches, phones, tablets, car dashboards, TVs, etc.

There are currently examples of closed services called “Personal Assistants” tightly coupled with specific vendor solutions, but I am more interested in an open extensible platform with various components and options for deployment. I am looking forward to something like “WordPress for Personal Assistants”. My understanding of Intelligent Personal Assistants is very close to classic FIPA Personal Assistants [1] and the idea of “Personal Data Locker” introduced by David Siegel in his book “Pull” [2] and his vision video [3]